Shoe stretcher



Aug. 18, 1-925.

, J. G. FLORESTA ET AL 51-103 STRETCHER Filed Nov. 11, 1924 gmtoo Ma,

Patented Aug. 18, 1925.

JOHN G. FLORESTA AND JOSEPH ZANGHI, OF TYRONE, PENNSYLVANIA.

SHOE STRETCHER.

Application filed November 11, 1924. Serial No. 749,242.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, J OHN G. FLORESTA' Patent Number 1,499,815, issued July 1,

An object of this invention is to provide a shoe stretcher of the same general char acteristics and operative principle shown in our patent above referred to, but to simplify the device and provide a more durable and substantial stretcher.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the form of invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. l is a top plan view of a shoe stretcher constructed in accordance with the present invention, a part of the shank being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View showing one of the parts of the shoe form in side elevation; and

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the trunnion employed in the present invention.

In illustrating the improvements of the present invention, a shoe form 4 is shown consisting of two similar parts held together by a plate 5 of highly resilient metal or the like which will flex when the parts of the shoe form are separated.

In order to expand the parts of the shoe form a foot 6 is provided the forward end of which tapers to conform to the contour of recesses 7 formed in the inner faces of the parts of the shoe form near the toe of the latter. A lift 8 issues from the upper wall of the foot 6 which tapers downwardly toward the reduced front end of the foot. The upper wall of the lift 8 has a longitudinally extending groove 9 formed therein.

The foot 6 is moved by means of a rod 10 the inner end of which has a head 11 formed thereon which is swivelled in a recess formed in the rear end of the foot 6. The rod 10 adjacent the foot 6 is enlarged and provided with screwthreads 12 which engage corresponding threads formed in the bore 13 of a trunnion 14 through which latter the threaded shank passes. The rear end of the shank 12 extends any desired distance beyond the rear end of the shoe form 4 and may be equipped with suitable means for operating the same. The trunnion 14 has laterally extending pintles 15 formed thereon, approximately midway the ends of the body of the trunnion, which pintles are mounted in corresponding recesses 16 formed in the inner faces of the parts of the shoe form 4. The trunnion also embodies a pair of upstanding spaced ears 17 which project through an opening 18 formed in the upper face of the shoe form.

The shoe form 4 is used to stretch the shoe upper laterally on the sole and the stretcher in its entirety embodies additional means through the medium of which the shoe upper can also be stretched outwardly from the sole. This medium consists of a tongue 19 the upper face of which is bulged outwardly, as indicated at 20, while the inner face is provided with a runner 21. The lower margin of the runner 21 is abruptly offset, midway its ends, as indicated at 22. Consequently, when the tongue 19 is in its forwardmost position the front end of the runner 21 pends downwardly in parallelism with the front of the foot 6. A part of the runner is at all times mounted in the groove 9 so that there is no possibility of the runner being casually disengaged from the groove. The rear end of the tongue 19 is reduced and formed to provide an eye 23 which is mounted between the ears 17. A pin 24 is engaged through the cars 17 and eye 23 of the tongue forming an axis upon which the tongue 19 may be swung in the arc of a circle for impinge- 5 ment against the breast 25 of the shoe form. When the tongue 19 is in the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings it is manifest that rotation of the shaft 12, in one direction, feeds the shaft through the trunnion 14 to move the foot 6 forwardly, while r0 tation of the shaft in the opposite direction moves the foot rearwardly. When the foot moves forwardly the parts of the shoe form 4 are expended and simultaneously the tongue 19 is moved outwardly on the shoe form to thereby stretch the shoe upper laterally on and outwardly from the shoe sole. l/Vhen the foot 6 is moved rearwardly in the shoe form 4 the parts of the shoe form are permitted to contract and the tongue 19 gravitates inwardly against the foot 6. If

it is desired to laterally stretch the shoe only the tongue 19 can be swung rearwardly on its axis to rest upon the breast of the shoe form.

It is apparent that by hinging the tongue 19 directly to the trunnion 14 asimple and durable structure is provided which will eifectively function for the purpose herein described. Moreover, by providing the saring plate 5 not only are the par-ts of the shoe upper held together but contraction of the parts of the shoe upper is effected in an expeditious manner. The configuration of runner 21 and lift 8' herein employed pro vides a more quickly responsive device which reduces the cost of manufacture to a minimum, reduces the amount of material used in manufacture and permits the tongue to move inwardly on the form so as to provide a compact structure.

Various changes may be made in this device within the scope of the claims hereto appended.

What is claimed is l. A shoe stretcher including a shoe form equipped with a trunnion, a tongue hinged on said trunnion, and means mounted in said trunnion and operable therein to move the form and tongue.

2. A shoe stretcher including shoe stretching element adapted to move laterally on and outwardly from the shoe sole, a trunnion engaged with said elements, and means movable through said trunnion and engageable with said elements to simultaneously move thc latter.

3. A shoe stretcher including a two-part form and tongue, means movably mounted in the form for expanding the tongue simultaneously with the form, a trunnion engaged with said tongue and the two-parts of said form, and a rod engaged through said trun nion and with said means to control the movement of the la ter.

4-. A shoe stretcher including a two-part form and tongue, means hingedly connecting said tongue and form, and means mounted through the first said means for simultaneously ez-zpanding said form and tongue.

5. A shoe stretcher including a two-part form laterally separable and equipped with a tongue movable outwardly on the form, a trunnion fixedly mounted in the form and hingedly connected to said tongue, a foot movably mounted in said form and engaged with said tongue to sii'nultaneously move said form and tongue, and a rod threaded through said trunnion and engaged with said foot to move the latt r upon rotation of the rod.

In testimony whereof we our names.

JOHN G. FLORESTA. JOSEPH ZANGHI. 

